Rotary
International Ray Klinginsmith's May 2011 Message
The RI president’s
monthly message - May 2011
Show and tell
My fellow Rotarians
My wife, Judie, was
a kindergarten teacher for many years, and she often told stories
about her "show and tell" experiences, when each of her
students was permitted to bring a favorite item to school, such
as a pet or toy, and to tell the other children about it. There
was always a sense of wonder as the children learned about their
classmate's prized possession.
Rotarians often share
that same sense of wonder as they learn about the amazing service
projects conducted by other Rotary clubs. In fact, there are so
many Rotary service projects performed by our 33,000-plus clubs
that it is truly impossible for anyone to track them. Many of them
go unknown and unrecognized, except to their sponsor clubs, but
the totality of such Rotary projects is clearly making the world
a better place.
It is unfortunate that
we cannot have a giant "show and tell" event where every
club could tell the world what it does. We have grown much too large
for us to even share the news of our countless service projects
with our other clubs. However, the annual conventions provide an
opportunity for several clubs, districts, and multidistrict organizations
to display their projects in an effective way, and this month's
RI Convention in New Orleans will feature many outstanding projects
in the House of Friendship.
The New Orleans convention
will be a wonderful Rotary event, and I encourage all registrants
to spend as much time as possible in the House of Friendship to
meet new friends from around the world, to see the displays of Rotary
projects, and to enjoy some great entertainment on the two stages.
It will open on Saturday morning and be open for more hours than
usual during the convention. And for those who cannot attend for
more than one day, there is a new Saturday-only pass for $40 per
person to sample the House of Friendship!
The convention also
will give me a personal "show and tell" opportunity. I
can show the base of a pillar, located in the convention center,
that supports the giant highway bridge over the Mississippi River.
It is the same bridge under which I sailed on a Lykes Line freighter
on my way to the University of Cape Town as a Rotary Scholar 50
years ago. And I can, and happily will, tell everyone that it was
a Rotary trip that has lasted a lifetime!
Ray Klinginsmith
Building Communities
/ Bridging Continents
President, Rotary International, 2010-11
TRF Chairman's
May 2011 Message
Changing lives
in Myanmar
Trustee Chair's monthly
message - May 2011
In 1962 all nongovernmental
organizations were banned in Myanmar (formerly Burma), and the country
has not had any active Rotary clubs ever since.
But, in 2005, a California
Rotarian founded the Myanmar Orphanages Safe Water Management Project.
Rotary districts 3360, 5230, 6580, and 6740 have each provided support.
The project system consists of a compressor and pump placed atop
a required proven, existing tube well at any given orphanage site,
providing simple access to water for three vital applications: food
preparation and drinking, personal bathing and laundry, and sustainable
crop irrigation. To date, 18 systems have been completed, and 14
more are in the pipeline – the latter due to five Special
Initiative Grants by The Rotary Foundation.
The clean water also
provides better health for the children. For instance, skin diseases
disappear with the access to clean water. This water system project
covers several of Rotary's emphases – health, hunger, and
water and sanitation.
There is today a cautious
optimism in Myanmar. Changes will not occur overnight. However,
this might be a prudent time for Rotary to explore the possibility
of reentering Myanmar. It will take time, but everyone who wants
to harvest a crop knows that the seeds will have to be planted well
in advance, and now may be an opportunity for Rotary to plant those
seeds.
I believe we have the
connections, both inside and outside of Myanmar, to start making
contacts for the purpose of bringing Rotary back. A Rotary club
once again in Yangon (formerly Rangoon) would make a super example
of Rotary Building Communities – Bridging Continents through
Service Above Self.
Carl-Wilhelm_Stenhammar
Foundation Trustee Chair, 2010-11
Source: Rotary International
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